1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus or device for actuating a microswitch for a timer in a fishing game device which can be used to simulate fishing. More particularly, the apparatus of the present invention includes a rod which can be attached to the toggle arm of the microswitch, the rod being designed to receive the ends of strings which are secured to "fish" used in the fishing game apparatus.
2. The Prior Art
There are numerous games or devices wherein "fish" are involved as game pieces or tokens. However, the prior art does not disclose a fishing device or apparatus of the type disclosed in co-pending application Ser. No. 07/667,178, filed Mar. 11, 1991 on "Fishing Game Apparatus".
In the aforementioned co-pending application, there is a timer which is used to measure the lapsed time between the securing or "catching" of the first fish and the catching of the last fish in the sequence of catches. However, the timer in the aforementioned co-pending application is actuated in response to the rotation of a cam which, in turn, is rotated by an arm which connects by two separate strings attached to the first and last fish, referred to above. That is, when the first fish is removed from the apparatus of the aforementioned co-pending application, the associated string will pull on the arm, turn the cam, and actuate the microswitch to start the timer; similarly, when the last fish is removed from the apparatus of the aforementioned co-pending application, the string on the last fish will pull on the arm to turn the cam to activate the microswitch and stop the timer. The strings on the two fish in the aforementioned co-pending application are releasably attached to the aforementioned arm.
The present invention eliminates the cam and the lever arm employed in the aforementioned co-pending application. In the present invention, a hollow actuating rod is provided so that the lower end of the actuating rod is received over the toggle arm of the microswitch. The upper end of the actuating rod is provided with a notch which will receive the strings which are attached to the first and last fish, referred to above. The end of each string is provided with a knot which rests against the side of the notch when the fish are first mounted on the fishing game device. When the first fish is first pulled away from the fishing game device, the string will pivot the actuating rod so as to move the toggle arm to actuate the timer. Continued pulling on this same fish will cause the knot to slip out of the notch so that the toggle arm of the microswitch will return to its initial position. This action starts the timer. In like manner, when the last fish is pulled away from the fishing game device, its associated string will again pivot the actuating rod to stop the timer and the knot on the string for the second fish will also slip out of the notch.
A patentability search was conducted on the present invention, and the following United States patents were uncovered in the search.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 1,699,409 Stevens January 15 1929 2,511,430 Colaluca June 13, 1950 2,726,303 Berndsen December 6, 1955 2,931,878 Eisenberg April 5, 1960 3,617,676 Dennison November 2, 1971 3,959,618 Carroll May 25, 1976 3,997,750 Glazer December 14, 1976 4,115,669 Cali September 19, 1978 4,256,943 Whitlock March 17, 1981 4,615,624 Goodrich October 7, 1986 4,976,439 Kraemer December 11, 1990 ______________________________________
The Berndsen U.S. Pat. No. 2,726,303 shows an attachment arm for a toggle switch and a string attached to the arm. The Dennison U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,676 shows an extension arm 38 for the lever of a switch 12.